Dive Team, deputies assist in search

Wednesday

Jun 5, 2013 at 2:29 AM

Among the hundreds searching for those missing because of flooding in Scott County last week were members of the Logan County Search and Rescue Team, the Logan County Dive Team and deputies from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.

The three-day search for the missing ended Sunday after the bodies of a missing Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wildlife officer, two Scott County women and Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter were recovered.,

They had been missing since heavy rains last week caused serious flooding in an area near Y City. The search was called off Sunday when the body of the last missing person was found.

Kieth Downs, of the Logan County Dive Team said the level of destruction caused by the flooding was the worst he’s ever seen.

"I’ve seen tornadoes, floods, some very bad things," Downs said. "This was the worst. There was an unimaginable amount of debris.

"It was amazing the amount of trees and were rooted up and laid down," Downs said. "The debris was made up of anything you can imagine. There was debris parked around a lot of trees or any other obstacle that wouldn’t move."

Down said the Dive Team was dispatched early last Friday. Ten team members were sent to Scott County but they didn’t do any diving.

"We assisted in the search on land," Downs said. "We searched until 7 p.m. Friday and some went back Saturday."

Logan County Chief Deputy Sheriff David Spicer said 10 deputies were dispatched to Scott County last Friday.

"Some also went Saturday but I’m not sure how many, maybe a half-dozen," Spicer said. Authorities have said that as many as 100 people have been displaced by the flooding. The system that brought the flooding to Scott County also dumped about 2.2 inches of rain on Paris last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There were no reports of damage in Logan County because of the rain.

And, more rain is expected this week. According to the National Weather Service Forecast, there is a 50 percent chance of rain today (Wednesday) and Thursday.

The rain last Thursday and Friday, pushed the Paris area’s total rainfall for May to 5.1 inches. Normal rainfall in May is 4.9 inches.

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